ISRAELI leader Benjamin Nenanyahu has announced his country will join the United States in quitting UNESCO after Washington claimed the UN agency is "anti-Israel".

The United States has withdrawn from UNESCO claiming it is anti-Israel

The US withdrew funding from UNESCO after Palestine became a member in 2011, but kept its office in its Paris headquarters to influence policy from the back room.

But today Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State, confirmed it was taking its protest one step further, with the withdrawal becoming effective on December 31.

The US State Department said in a statement: "This decision was not taken lightly, and reflects US concerns with mounting arrears at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organisation, and continuing anti-Israel bias at UNESCO.”

The statement said the US would try to "remain engaged as a non-member observer state in order to contribute US views, perspectives and expertise."

UNESCO said the US decision was a loss for multilateralism and for the UN.

Shortly after the US announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would follow the US in quitting UNESCO.

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The Israeli leader called the US decision to exit UNESCO "brave and moral", according to a statement.

UNESCO director general Irina Bokova said in a statement: "After receiving official notification by the United States Secretary of State, Mr Rex Tillerson, as UNESCO Director-General, I wish to express profound regret at the decision of the United States of America to withdraw from UNESCO.”

UNESCO - which stands from the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation - is choosing its new director this week.

It is known for declaring areas of cultural and environmental importance around the world as World Heritage sites.

The US currently has 23 places declared World Heritage sites, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park which is homes to 10,000 geysers, Yosemite National Park, which has 1,200 square miles of mountains, valleys, waterfalls and wilderness, and the Everglades National Park in Florida which hosts scores of endangered species.

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An American flag flies outside the UNESCO headquarters in Paris

Areas of outstanding beauty and cultural significance use the accolade as a way to promote the area to the public, which increases tourism and funding to maintain the sites and boost the local economy.

In July, Unesco declared the ancient and hotly contested core of Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank as a Palestinian World Heritage Site.

In Britain, the Stonehenge, Westminster Abbey, Durham Castle and the city of Bath are some of 31 World Heritage sites.

Jodrell Bank in Cheshire has been selected to be put forward for consideration in the next round of applications, it was announced today.

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Stonehenge, in Wiltshire, is one the UK's 31 UNESCO World Heritage sites

The University of Manchester's site is home to its famous Lovell Telescope, which was the world's largest steerable telescope when it was completed in 1957.

The satellite, named after Sir Bernard Lovell who led the team which built the telescope, tracked the flight of the Soviet Union's Sputnik 1, the first-ever artificial satellite.

The observatory is preparing the papers for nomination, and they will be submitted to Unesco in January 2018.

Professor Teresa Anderson, director of Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, said: "We have been preparing the case for the World Heritage Site inscription for Jodrell Bank Observatory for some years now, so it's absolutely fantastic to reach this milestone.

"The Lovell Telescope in particular has become an icon for science and engineering, and we look forward to showcasing the rich scientific heritage of this and the wider site on an international stage."